This is part two of our story. Previous chapters can be found here.
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“I actually won’t be able to make it to that Jazz game… but I would love to do something another time... like this weekend? I just realized I actually have a rehearsal the night of the jazz game for a performance I will be in soon.”
I sat there on my bedroom floor with my feet tucked up under me, curled in a ball, and shaking with nerves.
Oh my heck. Did I really just suggest a date for earlier!?! For this weekend? I am being too forward… too obvious. I think I just blew it.
Then his text came in.
“Yeah. That sounds good. I will come pick you up on Saturday night at 6.”
My anxiety washed away and I was left with a smile on my face.
***
Saturday:
I turned my straightener off and laid it down on the bathroom counter.
Deep breath, Hailey… Deep breath.
I put my big statement earrings on, grabbed my vintage purse and sat down on the couch. A few minutes went by and I checked my phone.
6:15!!!
Oh man… did he forget? Or is this intentional?
A few more minutes went by. I started pacing the room and continually looking out the window for him.
6:20- still no Jordan. I felt sick.
Do I call him? text him? let it go?
A few more minutes went by and my phone started ringing.
Jordan:
“ummm I am sorry. I am SO lost. I can’t seem to find your house and think I took a wrong turn somewhere!”
I sighed a giant sigh of relief and then went on to explain to him how to get to my house.
***
He shut the door to his car and looked at me as we started to drive away. I glanced over and smiled at him as he explained to me his plans to make pizza together.
A man who likes and knows how to cook? This guy is a winner.
We stopped at the store and picked up all the ingredients then headed back to his place.
We chatted as he made the sauce and then rolled out his dough. He told me about his job in High school at a little pizza shop where he learned to make pizza and showed off his skills of tossing it up into the air…
And then it was my turn to make mine.
I started to hesitantly roll out my dough, totally unsure of what I was doing.
Me:
“Ummmmm… is this how you do it?.. If I am being completely honest, I umm.. haha… I have never really worked with dough before.”
I felt nervous and awkward and before I knew it his arms were wrapped around me, his hands on mine helping me to roll it out.
Oh my gosh… this is the first “more than friendly” touch we have shared.
My heart felt as though it was going to beat right out of my chest.
He HAS to be feeling this too… there is no way it’s just me.
My stomach was full of flutters and everything felt so right. I started to feel things I had never felt with a boy before…. with ANYONE before. But how? I barely knew him. I felt safe…I felt somehow, complete?
How was I feeling this way from one simple touch?
I put my pizza into the oven and began walking past the fridge when I spotted his grocery list on the fridge. I pulled the little monkey magnet off of it and pulled it down.
Twix
I slowly and proudly wrote onto it then stuck it back up onto the fridge (subconsciously marking my territory and showing him my confidence in our relationship continuing to at least another date). Time seemed to rush by so fast with him and we couldn't get enough of each other. Putting off dropping me off at home we stopped at Spoon Me. I sat at the table that night with him as I laughed harder than I had in years. All of my worries in life washed away when I was with him and in that moment all I wanted to do was grab his arm and pull him in for a kiss.
It was 1:30 AM when we finally pulled up to my house. This was it. This is where we would finally have our first kiss.
It was cold out and my cheeks were sore from smiling as we walked up to the porch. He pulled me in for a tight hug and then I waited for it.
waiting….waiting…
Jordan:
“Goodnight! I will see you later!”
…
Me:
“Goodnight! Thanks for everything. I had so much fun.”
I closed the door behind me and ran up to my room and sat on my bed… letting it all sink in. There was no kiss… and at first, it didn't seem to bother me. Because remember? I didn't even want a boyfriend…. and I was just so grateful to have been able to spend so much time with someone like him. But then my mind really started racing.
Maybe I do want a boyfriend…. no, I DO want a boyfriend. I want him.
I was hooked.
And by golly, I wanted that darn kiss!
***
The next week I found myself talking all about my “second date” with the boy from the “blind date” while at school. There I was in ballet class taking a test and all I could think about while doing tendus there at the bar was those gosh darn dimples!
Class ended and I should have been rushing to get dressed since I was already late for American Heritage and still had to book it up the dreaded RB stairs and run across campus… but there I was, slowly peeling off my tights as I chatted to my friends all about this boy.
Eventually, I threw my backpack on, walked up the never-ending staircase and started walking towards my next class. I was almost to the building when I stepped over a giant pile of slush on the ground and then looked up.
Jordan?? Is that him??
There he was. A giant smile on his face, walking towards me. My heart started racing and I felt frozen. I was still sweating from that ballet test, my hair was up in a tight bun and I was definitely not prepared to run into the boy I was just gushing about to my friend. (Now… keep in mind, we had NEVER run into each other on campus before.)
Jordan:
“Hey, Hailey!!! I have something for you.”
Me:
“What? Really?”
He pulled his backpack off of his back and began to unzip it.
Me:
“A Twix? WHAT!?? You seriously bought me a Twix?”
Jordan:
“Of course I did. I saw that you put it on my grocery list and I wanted to get it for you.”
My heart started racing even faster. Who was this boy?
Me:
“But…like… you have it with you? Why do you have it with you to give to me?”
Jordan:
“Honestly, I just had a feeling I would run into you so I put it into my bag!”
Me:
“That is crazy!!! Thank you so much! Seriously… that was so sweet of you. I am late for class but can I see you again soon?”
Jordan:
“Of course!”
I gave him a giant hug and then raced off to class.
I sat down next to my friend, let out a giant exhale and then didn't hear one word the professor said that day. I felt like I was quite literally in a dream… You know the one? The one where you are so mad you woke up from it and you keep trying to fall back asleep so that you can keep dreaming what you were dreaming? Yep, I was completely and utterly smitten.
To be continued..
Old pictures from that night:
